Second week of August sees over 5.5 lakhs pilgrims visit the Tirumala temple: Officials
The Lord Venkateswara temple will be shut starting 6 pm on August 9 to 6 am on August 17 in view of 'Astabandhana Balalaya Mahasamprokshanam', a "vedic ritual" conducted once in 12 years to undertake minor repairs at the temple premises.
As part of the repair process, the high priest of the temple would use a paste made of several herbs, believed to be harder than concrete. The entire process is done amid chanting of vedic hymns, reported Press Trust of India quoting officials.
The TTD Board Chairman Putta Sudhakar Yadav said that as per past history, the second week of August sees over 5.5 lakhs pilgrims visit the Tirumala temple.
Astabandhana Balalaya Mahasamprokshanam' is a "vedic ritual" conducted once in 12 years at Tirupati temple
"Pilgrims will not be allowed to enter Vaikuntham Queue Complex for darshan after 6 pm of August 9. The darshan will resume to pilgrims only after 6 am from August 17 on wards. We therefore request the pilgrim devotees of Lord Venkateswara present across the globe to plan their pilgrimage accordingly", a press release by the TTD board said.
Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, popularly known as the Tirupati Temple that is believed to have been the abode of Lord Vekateswara for over 5,000 years and is located in the hill town of Tirumala at Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
The temple is known to be the richest Hindu temples in the world. According to TTD officials, the temple's earnings during 2018-19 are expected to be Rs. 2,894 crore, of which the offerings in temple 'Hundi' are likely to be Rs. 1,156 crore.